


Semper Patria Mea [Always My Country]

by Celandine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Ficlet, Hiking, Quadruple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-05
Updated: 2015-07-05
Packaged: 2018-04-07 18:09:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4273029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco and Hermione are looking for a henge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Semper Patria Mea [Always My Country]

**Author's Note:**

> For Felaine, who asked for Draco/Hermione and gave the prompt "I love hiking."

"Isn't this fun?" Hermione's face was flushed with effort as they reached the ridge. It had taken a good thirty minutes for the walk so far, starting at the car park in the village, and Draco knew that this was just the beginning. They had looked at a map yesterday and to the best of his recollection, they were not nearly even a quarter of the way there.

"Fun, oh yes. I _love_ hiking," Draco sighed, and shifted the straps of his rucksack.

"No, look around," Hermione urged him. She gestured at the downlands that lay before them. The grasses bent before the wind, revealing the clustered yellow stars of lady's bedstraw. A kestrel cried in the sky and Draco glanced up involuntarily. "It's beautiful up here."

"I suppose it's all right. How far is this henge we're going to?" Draco asked.

"Quite a ways yet." Hermione bit her lip. "I'm sorry that we have to hike, but you know how bad I am at flying."

She was. Half the time she fell off her own broom, and when they'd tried having her double with Draco, she clutched at him so tightly that he had difficulty in steering. Neither of them knew the site well enough to Apparate safely, so hiking had been the only choice.

"We won't get any closer by just standing and talking," said Draco with resignation. "Come on."

At least there was a trail, with the occasional sign to indicate that they were headed in the right direction. The henge itself was spelled so that only wizards and witches could reach it, but there was an old Muggle ruin nearby and they used that as a guide.

As they walked, Draco thought about the oddity that he, scion of the pureblood Malfoys, should be travelling by foot with a Muggle-born witch. Voldemort's death had changed a great many things. It had taken Draco a long time to accept that, but eventually he had bowed to the inevitable, and found it strangely liberating. Not least of the strangenesses was the discovery that he cared for Hermione Granger, and that she cared for him.

"There!" Hermione said in quiet triumph, lifting her hand to point.

Something clicked inside Draco's head as he looked at the henge. It was small, compared to some, but the proportions were perfect. _This is the place_ , he thought. _This is where I belong._


End file.
